The present invention relates to a data processor having a GUI (graphical user interface) capable of starting up various functions such as data editing, by selecting an icon by moving a cursor as a pointer on a display screen, for example, a word processor or a personal computer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording medium in which a computer program for starting various functions is recorded in such data processor.
Data processors having a GUI are popular owing to the enhanced visibility and controllability of display content on the screen by using not only characters but also graphics. In such data processors having a GUI, icons symbolizing filenames and commands by intuitive graphics are widely used.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a screen display example of a conventional data processor using such icons. In such conventional data processor, the user operates a pointing device such as a mouse to move the cursor to a position overlapping with a specific icon on the display screen, and clicks a mouse button, then the icon is selected, and the function symbolized by the icon is started up.
On the GUI display screen, the screen on which a wallpaper is pasted is positioned in the lowest layer of the screen, and one or plural window screens are positioned in the upper layers. On the window screens, the display stratum is determined depending on which screen the input focus is adjusted. Specifically, the window screen on which the input focus is adjusted at this point is displayed in the uppermost layer, and other window screens are sequentially moved to the lower layers.
In other data processors becoming popular, for example, an icon of launcher software is clicked to start up the launcher software and display the window screen thereof, and various application programs can be started up from the window screen of this launcher software.
Icons are, however, generally small graphics, and when the number of icons is increased as the functions are increased, icons are displayed closely to each other. To select an icon in such state, it is difficult to place the cursor accurately on an intended icon. It is therefore hard to select the function by the icon, that is, to click or double-click the mouse button, and it is highly possible to click a wrong icon beside a desired icon by mistake, and it causes problems in working efficiency and controllability.
In such a case, the individual icons may be displayed in a reduced size, but the reduction of display size of icons is limited from by visibility.
Or, in a data processor for starting up a computer program from the window screen of launcher software, as mentioned above, when a window screen of the launcher software is selected by the cursor, the input focus is adjusted to that window screen, and the window screen of the launcher software is displayed on the uppermost layer of the display screen. Therefore, the window screen hitherto displayed on the uppermost layer is concealed by the window screen of the launcher software, and the user does not know which screen is displayed beneath the window screen of the launcher software.